


now when she comes walking over

by AugustaByron



Series: samwell ladies' figure skating [1]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/F, Queer Women, figure skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 04:44:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6597205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AugustaByron/pseuds/AugustaByron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all begins when Justine and Abby start talking about Winter Screw. Jackie isn't sure why they decide that Erica needs a guy in that exact moment, but she knows that she's in huge trouble when they start asking about Erica's type.</p>
            </blockquote>





	now when she comes walking over

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was thinking about a lot of things, namely what would Check Please look like with basically everyone being a ciswoman. And then this happened. Basically a retelling of The Closet Story with 100% more lesbians. As such, some dialogue is lifted directly from that issue of the comic. 
> 
> Title from Crimson and Clover, specifically the Joan Jett version. Because lesbians.

Erica Bittle is a problem.

It all begins when Justine and Abby start talking about Winter Screw. Jackie isn't sure why they decide that Erica needs a guy in that exact moment, but she knows that she's in huge trouble when they start asking about Erica's type.

“We even found a date for lady high standards, over here--” Abby jerks her thumb at Jackie, who puts up her middle finger.

“And Larissa's saving herself for Shitty--”

“Fuck you,” Larissa says amiably.

“So what's your type? Big? Beard, jock, smart, give us a starting point.” Justine looks at Erica expectantly. Jackie is startled by the sudden cramp in her belly. Erica and a guy—big, bearded, smart. It's an unpleasant image.

The team doesn't have time for this. Jackie wants to go to nationals this year, they can't afford for Erica to be distracted by guys. That's the problem.

“Oh!” Erica blushes red and ducks into her long blonde hair. She laughs, a little frantically. “Wouldn't you know it, I totally forgot I left a pie baking. In the library. Gotta go!” And she darts off into the snow.

“Huh,” Larissa says. Jackie raises a questioning eyebrow at her, but Larissa just shakes her head. “Nothing, a bunch of clues just came together for me.”

Jackie puts it out of her mind. She can't afford to spend her time thinking about Erica Bittle, and what kind of guys she wants to date.

 

When she first meets Erica, Jackie wants to kick her off the team.

Her jumps aren't strong. Her routines aren't tight. She skates like she's got someone bearing down on her.

“Oh!” Erica squeaks, a blush spreading across her nose and cheeks. Jackie is starting to notice that Erica blushes at everything. “I played hockey when I was a kid. And then I did ice dancing for a while. I only really started solo figure skating when I was in high school.”

In high school. When Jackie was in high school, she overdosed the day before her flight to Italy, and Kate Parson won Gold at Turin.

“You need to stop eating so many empty calories,” Jackie blurts out. Erica gapes at her, freezes in the middle of slicing into a blueberry pie. The Haus kitchen smells like an angel showed up and decided to stay forever. “You've got to maximize protein. Pie isn't going to help you build stamina.”

Or stay so tiny. Erica's petite and blonde, with delicate features. The perfect look. She doesn't need to give the judges any extra reason to dislike her. Jackie's been working against being tall and noticeably muscular since she was a kid. Even being the daughter of Bobbie Zimmermann didn't help with the way people would talk about her body.

“Well,” Erica says, a hint of steel entering her voice. It's startling: Jackie has yet to see Erica be anything but sugar-sweet. “You don't have to eat it, then.”

Actually, maybe that was the moment when things got dire. Jackie isn't sure any more.

 

Winter Screw is the same as always. Jackie goes with Conner Collins, which is fine. He doesn't try to grab her ass, which is sort of Jackie's baseline for spending time with men. He's on the tennis team, so at least they can exchange coach horror stories until he leaves to get them some punch.

And then Erica shows up. With a girl.

“Well, well,” Larissa says. She came alone, bucking tradition and claiming not to be pining for Shitty. Another point in Conner's favor is that he's seemed okay with Larissa hanging with Jackie for so much of the night. “I didn't think she'd do it.”

“You knew?” Jackie can't rip her gaze away. Erica is wearing a pink dress and a challenging expression, daring anyone to say anything. Her date is—a girl. Jackie doesn't know her. She's got short hair and high heels, and if anything she looks like Erica, small and pretty.

Erica's dress sparkles when she walks.

Jackie's wearing the same dress she always wears. It's black and covers enough of her that she doesn't feel gawky in it.

“She told me the other day,” Larissa says. She's facing Jackie, not Erica, with a considering look on her face. “Hmmmm. Anything you want to share with the class?”

“Shut up.” Jackie rips her gaze away from where Erica is holding her date's hand. This isn't any of her business. “Do you know who she's with?”

“One of my friends from the art department. Are you okay?” Larissa's tone changes, and Jackie knows she's got to shake this off.

“Yeah. Just. You know. A little surprised.” Jackie always is when it comes to stuff like this. She never thinks that girls like Erica are—well. It doesn't really matter.

“Sure,” Larissa says. Too easily. Jackie narrows her eyes, but that's when Conner shows back up with punch. He brought another cup for Larissa. Jackie manages to smile at him, and doesn't look back over at Erica and her date.

And that's that. Jackie needs to stop thinking about it.

 


End file.
